Exclusive Interview with Kristoffer Friis Gleberg of Novozymes

Smithers Apex: Why is the Cleaning Products Conference so important to the industry?

Kristoffer Friis Gleberg: Cleaning products is a dynamic industry. This conference is an opportunity for many of us to press pause, reflect on where we are today and learn from each other about where the future may lead. To share, connect and learn.

Smithers Apex: What do you see as the biggest sustainable challenges facing the cleaning industry, right now?

Kristoffer Friis Gleberg: We need to demonstrate real solutions to the sustainability issues facing the industry. I believe that there is an enormous opportunity to engage consumers in this discussion.

Increasingly consumers are demanding greener, more sustainable products. As an industry, we have a choice on how to meet these demands. We can work independently to find new solutions or we can engage consumers in the journey.

Providing consumers with a platform to engage in a discussion of sustainability increases the volume of ideas, can help reveal new directions for ideation and will ultimately result in solutions that have built in consumer support.

We are at a unique moment in time where consumer interest and technology have aligned. Our challenge is how to take advantage of this convergence to start a meaningful discussion about sustainable solutions.

Smithers Apex: What are some of the best sustainable innovations in (or not in) cleaning, right now?

Kristoffer Friis Gleberg: Biological solutions such as enzymes have demonstrated impact across multiple industries. As recently as 2015, Novozymes customers reduced their CO2 emissions by an estimated 60 million tons through the application of our products across multiple industries – equivalent to taking 25 million cars off the road.

In the cleaning space, we have reduced the necessary laundry detergent dose while increasing cleaning performance. We’re also removing tough stains on clothes and tough soils on dishes, boosting whiteness and fabric care, and preserving fabric texture and color – all with enzymatic biological solutions.

Smithers Apex:What are you most looking forward to hearing at the conference, this fall, in Washington, D.C.?

Kristoffer Friis Gleberg: I am always interested in the collective perspective on the industry, from the industry… to see where perspectives connect and where they don’t.

As we look ahead to 2017 and beyond, I believe that more effective consumer engagement – from product development through marketing - is an area of untapped potential. I look forward to the related presentations and debates.

Register today for the Cleaning Products US Conference and workshop, sponsored by Novozymes.